Tunneling machine with concrete wall forming mechanism

ABSTRACT

A tunneling machine having a shield with a spoil excavator at its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeled support for the truss and comprising cradle supports which rest on the tunnel floor and upon which the truss is rollably supported, a thrust connection between the truss and the shield whereby the truss will be drawn forwardly with the shield as the shield is advanced and means for shifting the cradle supports longitudinally along the truss to periodically advance the cradle supports along the tunnel floor.

United States Patent 3,677,602 Tabor [451 July 18, 1972 541 TUNNELINGMACHINE WITH 3,061,288 10/1962 Robbins ..299/31 CONCRETE WALL FORNHNG3,266,257 8/1966 Larrouze et al.. ...299/31 X Ct t 74,069 2/1868 Fisheret a1. ..6l/85 X [72] Inventor: John R. Tabor, 3400 Spruce St., Racine,

wi 53403 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Attorney-Wheeler, House &Whuler [22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1970 211 App]. No.1 17,004 [57] ABSTRACT v Atunneling machine having a shield with a spoil excavator at namedApphcanon Dim its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeledsupport for [62] Division of S61. NO. 743,363, July 9, 1968, Pat. No.the truss and comprising cradle pp which rest on the tunnel floor andupon which the truss is rollably supported, a thrust connection betweenthe truss and the shield whereby 52 U.S. Cl ..299 31 the truss will bedrawn forwardly with t s ld as th shi ld is 51 Int. Cl ..E01g 3 03advanced and means for Shifting the cradle pp g [58] Field of Search..299/31, 33; 61/85 i y along the truss to p ri y advance h r l pportsalong the tunnel floor. 56 R f C'ted 1 e erences I 5 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,554,723 9/1925 Hamilton ..299/31 ///A//A /WA\\/ 7// 7/ v/// A\Y/ V/s /,\V///\\ v 5 //l \w/ i 3:;

1' I 1/ /1l/] 36 A 7 zf As/ A? 4 2s Al/Q m A 78* //A\ 1e we! e w i6 9703 9g .96 a we /27 M41 PATENTEDJUL 18 I972 I INVENTOZ 6 dew/v 1Q. 72502mm W/ ATTOENEY$ TUNNELING MACHINE WITH CONCRETE WALL FORMING MECHANISMCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division ofcopending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 743,363, filed July 9, 1968,now U.S. Pat. 3,561,223 granted Feb. 9, 1971, the entire disclosureofwhich is incorporated herein by reference. 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is summarized in the foregoingabstract.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1-22, inclusive, are illustrated anddescribed in said copending patent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the disclosure hereofis detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplifythe invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. Thescope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The entire disclosure of said copending U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,223 isincorporated herein by reference. Particular attention is invited toFIGS. 1, 2, 12 and 13 thereof and to the description relating thereto.

Iclaim:

1. In a tunneling machine the combination of a shield with a spoilexcavator at its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeledsupport for said truss and a thrust connection advance the cradlesupports along the tunnel floor.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which said truss is provided with tracksengaged by the wheels of the cradle supports.

3. The machine of claim 2 in which the tracks comprise short track sets,said cradle supports being respectively shifted from the rear end to theforward end of its corresponding track set.

4. A tunneling machine comprising the combination of a shield with aspoil excavator at its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeledsupport for said truss and a thrust connection between the truss andshield whereby the truss will be drawn forwardly with the shield as theshield advances, said wheeled supports comprising cradle supports andmeans for shifting said supports longitudinally along the truss, saidtunneling machine being adapted to be disposed in a tunnel having aconcrete form liner with an uneven surface on which the truss cradlesupports rest, said cradle supports comprising pads which span acrossuneven portions of the form liner and upwardly extending legs withupwardly exposed wheels, said truss having tracks which ride'on saidwheels.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which said cradle supports have means forlifting their pads from contact with the forms, whereupon they may bemoved longitudinally along the truss to shift their positions.

1. In a tunneling machine the combination of a shield with a spoilexcavator at its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeledsupport for said truss and a thrust connection between the truss andshield whereby the truss will be drawn forwardly with the shield as theshield is advanced, said wheeled support comprising cradle supportshaving base pads adapted to rest on the tunnel floor and wheels on whichthe truss rolls as it is drawn forwardly and means for shifting saidcradle supports longitudinally along the truss to periodically advancethe cradle supports along the tunnel floor.
 2. The machine of claim 1 inwhich said truss is provided with tracks engaged by the wheels of thecradle supports.
 3. The machine of claim 2 in which the tracks compriseshort track sets, said cradle supports being respectively shifted fromthe rear end to the forward end of its corresponding track set.
 4. Atunneling machine comprising the combination of a shield with a spoilexcavator at its head end, a truss trailing said shield, a wheeledsupport for said truss and a thrust connection between the truss andshield whereby the truss will be drawn forwardly with the shield as theshield advances, said wheeled supports comprising cradle supports andmeans for shifting said supports longitudinally along the truss, saidtunneling machine being adapted to be disposed in a tunnel having aconcrete form liner with an uneven surface on which the truss cradlesupports rest, said cradle supports comprising pads which span acrossuneven portions of the form liner and upwardly extending legs withupwardly exposed wheels, said truss having tracks which ride on saidwheels.
 5. The machine of claim 4 in which said cradle supports havemeans for lifting their pads from contact with the forms, whereupon theymay be moved longituDinally along the truss to shift their positions.